LEAKER SAID TO BE BOUND FOR VENEZUELA -- OBAMA CLIMATE SPEECH on Tue., a day before leaving on 7-day Africa trip -- MICHAEL HASTINGS EMAIL: onto big story; off radar 'for a bit'

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BULLETIN – “Snowden leaves Hong Kong, may head for Venezuela,” by Reuters’ James Pomfret and Lidia Kelly: “An aircraft believed to be carrying Edward Snowden landed in Moscow on Sunday after Hong Kong let the former U.S. security contractor leave the territory, despite Washington's efforts to extradite him to face espionage charges. The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said Snowden was heading for a ‘democratic nation’ which it did not name, although a source at the Russian airline Aeroflot said he would fly on within 24 hours to Cuba and then planned to go to Venezuela. … A spokesman for the government of Hong Kong, a former British colony which returned to China in 1997, said it had let Snowden depart because a U.S. request to have him arrested did not comply with the law. … [A] Justice Department official said it would seek cooperation with countries Snowden may try to go to. … A source at Aeroflot said Snowden would fly from Moscow to Cuba on Monday and then planned to go on to Venezuela.”

--AP’s Kelvin Chan in Moscow: “The Obama administration on Saturday warned Hong Kong against delaying Snowden's extradition, with White House national security adviser Tom Donilon saying in an interview with CBS News, ‘Hong Kong has been a historically good partner of the United States in law enforcement matters, and we expect them to comply with the treaty in this case.’”

--Sen. Schumer to Candy Crowley on CNN’s “State of the Union”: “It seems to me that Mr. Putin is almost eager to stick a finger in the eye of the United States. In so many different areas, he does not cooperate -- very few are the areas in which he does cooperate, these days. And I think this action -- Putin allowing Snowden to land in Russia and then go somewhere else -- is going to have serious consequences for [the] U.S.-Russian relationship.”

HOT READS – Rolling Stone’s July 4th issue, “Goodbye, Miami: By century's end, rising sea levels will turn the nation's urban fantasyland into an American Atlantis. But long before the city is completely underwater, chaos will begin,” by Jeff Goodell: “Miami was a mosquito-and-crocodile-filled swampland for thousands of years, virtually uninhabited until the late 1800s. Then developers arrived, canals were dug, swamps were drained, and a city emerged that was unlike any other place on the planet … Rivers of money are flowing in from Latin America, Europe and beyond, new upscale shopping malls are opening, and the skyline is crowded with construction cranes. But the unavoidable truth is that sea levels are rising and Miami is on its way to becoming an American Atlantis. It may be another century before the city is completely underwater (though some more-pessimistic scientists predict it could be much sooner), but life in the vibrant metropolis of 5.5 million people will begin to dissolve much quicker, most likely within a few decades. The rising waters will destroy Miami slowly, by seeping into wiring, roads, building foundations and drinking-water supplies – and quickly, by increasing the destructive power of hurricanes. ‘Miami, as we know it today, is doomed,’ says Harold Wanless, the chairman of the department of geological sciences at the University of Miami. ‘It's not a question of if. It's a question of when.’ …

“Sea-level rise is not a hypothetical disaster. … Since the 1920s, the global average sea level has risen about nine inches, mostly from the thermal expansion of the ocean water. But thanks to our 200-year-long fossil-fuel binge, the great ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are starting to melt rapidly now, causing the rate of sea-level rise to grow exponentially. The latest research, including an assessment by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, suggests that sea level could rise more than six feet by the end of the century. … London, Boston, New York and Shanghai are all vulnerable, as are low-lying underdeveloped nations like Bangladesh. But South Florida is uniquely screwed, in part because about 75 percent of the 5.5 million people in South Florida live along the coast. And unlike many cities, where the wealth congregates in the hills, southern Florida's most valuable real estate is right on the water. … South Florida has two big problems. The first is its remarkably flat topography. Half the area that surrounds Miami is less than five feet above sea level. … With just three feet of sea-level rise, more than a third of southern Florida will vanish … And the waters won't just come in from the east – because the region is so flat, rising seas will come in nearly as fast from the west too, through the Everglades. Even worse, South Florida sits above a vast and porous limestone plateau. …

“The statehouse in Tallahassee is a monument to climate-change denial. … Local governments, including Broward and Miami-Dade counties, have tried to compensate by forging regional agreements to cut carbon pollution and upgrade infrastructure to make their cities more resilient, but without help (and money) from the state and federal governments, it's pretty ineffective. Given how much Florida has to lose from climate change, the abdication of leadership by state and federal politicians is almost suicidal … Dutch engineers were involved in creating the massive levees that were built to protect New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and they are deeply involved in conversations about how to protect New York and New Jersey from another Sandy. But no Dutch engineering firm I talked to had any concrete ideas about how to save Miami. ‘New Orleans looks a lot like the Netherlands – it is below sea level, with a big dike around it,’ says Piet Dircke, program director for water management at ARCADIS in the Netherlands. ‘If you don't pump it out, the city drowns. It's a big bathtub. We know how to do that. Miami is different. It is also a low-­lying city but far more complicated because of issues about water quality, the porousness of the limestone the city sits on, as well as water coming in from the west, through the Everglades.’” http://rol.st/12j2LK1

--“Rising Seas: A City-by-City Forecast: The Atlantic coast between North Carolina and Massachusetts is at high risk”: “Washington, D.C.: Built on the swampy shores of the Potomac River, the capital is highly vulnerable to rising tides and storm surges. Parts of Alexandria, Virginia, at the mouth of the Potomac, already flood at high tide.” http://rol.st/11WLc3w

OBAMA CLIMATE SPEECH on Tue. at Georgetown – “Obama to Include Existing Plants in Pollution Plan,” by WSJ’s Peter Nicholas and Ryan Tracy, with Keith Johnson: “The White House released a video Saturday of the president discussing the speech, in which he will lay out environmental actions that he will take on his executive authority, without relying on approval from a divided Congress. … One person briefed on the speech said the president would discuss a number of options for dealing with climate change, including approving more renewable-energy projects on public land and issuing energy-efficiency regulations. The Department of the Interior has a number of renewable-energy projects under review, while the Department of Energy is working on regulation of household appliances. Mr. Obama's speech will also promote the benefits of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, including mitigating the effects of climate change.” Free in Google; paste in headline http://on.wsj.com/142vaZk

--@WhiteHouse: “We owe it to our kids to do something about climate change. Share this video and join me Tuesday: http://youtu.be/gcL3_zzgWeU -bo” (The initials at the end are a White House convention for tweets written by the President, not an aide.)

DRIVING THE WEEK – N.Y. Times 1-col. lead, “JUSTICES WEIGH CASES REDEFINING LEGAL EQUALITY: TWO COMPETING VISIONS -- Affirmative Action, Gay Marriage and Voting Rights at Issue,” by Adam Liptak: “Within days, the Supreme Court is expected to issue a series of decisions that could transform three fundamental social institutions: marriage, education and voting. The extraordinary run of blockbuster rulings due in the space of a single week … concern same-sex marriage, affirmative action in higher education and the fate of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 … Formal equality would require that gay couples be treated just like straight couples when it comes to marriage, white students just like black students when it comes to admissions decisions and Southern states just like Northern ones when it comes to federal oversight of voting. The effect would be to help gay couples, and hurt blacks and Latinos.” http://nyti.ms/12WX7DS

FOR YOUR RADAR – Michael “Hastings Sent Colleagues Email Hours Before Crash” – KTLA Channel 5 in L.A.: “Hastings, 33, was killed in a fiery solo-vehicle crash in Hancock Park early Tuesday morning. He was best known for a 2010 Rolling Stone article that led to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal … Staff Sgt. Joseph Biggs told KTLA that he received an email from Hastings on Monday. Biggs had known Hastings since 2008, when the journalist was embedded in his unit in Afghanistan. … He was blind-copied on the email, which was sent to Hastings’ colleagues. In part, it said that the feds were interviewing his close friends and associates, and that he was onto a big story and needed to get off the radar. The FBI has denied that Hastings was ever under investigation.” See the email. http://bit.ly/14hIGXD

--Text of email, via HuffPost: “Subject: FBI Investigation, re: NSA … the Feds are interviewing my "close friends and associates." Perhaps if the authorities arrive "BuzzFeed GQ," er HQ, may be wise to immediately request legal counsel before any conversations or interviews about our news-gathering practices or related journalism issues. Also: I'm onto a big story, and need to go off the rada[r] for a bit. All the best, and hope to see you all soon. Michael”

GOP GIFT DROUGHT – WashPost A1, “Conservative donors less ready to give,” by Matea Gold: “Seven months after the 2012 election, a lingering hangover among conservative donors has stalled efforts by right-leaning independent groups to fill their coffers. Wealthy contributors who dashed off six- and seven-figure checks last year are eyeing super PACs and other politically active groups more skeptically, frustrated that the hundreds of millions of dollars spent to elect Romney went for naught. ‘There’s donor fatigue,’ said Fred Malek, a veteran GOP operative wired into high-net-worth circles. … Several Republican fundraisers said they remain optimistic that the money spigot will reopen as the 2014 congressional elections approach. But this time around, donors are seeking to be more judicious about where they put their money, asking groups for detailed strategy and spending plans.” http://wapo.st/16rPZ0w

OBAMA 2.0 – N.Y. Times A1, “Following a Star, Kerry Applies Personal Touch,” by Michael R. Gordon in Doha, Qatar: “While his predecessor … was a global celebrity and possibly a future president, [Secretary of State John] Kerry is striving to carve out a legacy as one of the most influential secretaries of state in recent years by taking on some of the world’s most intractable problems. Unlike Mrs. Clinton, … Kerry came into his administration with strong ties to Mr. Obama, whose presidential campaign he helped begin at the 2004 Democratic convention. Mr. Kerry, 69, a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the son of a Foreign Service officer, has long aspired to be secretary of state. He arrived at a time when Mr. Obama has said the nation is at a ‘crossroads’ in its relations with the world, with the Pentagon focused on ending the war in Afghanistan, the C.I.A. charged with refocusing its efforts against terrorism and the president calling for a new focus on diplomacy.

“But there are also some potential obstacles for Mr. Kerry. One is the centralization of foreign policy decision-making in a White House that has famously maintained a tight grip on foreign policy — so much so that before taking the job, Mr. Kerry received an assurance that he would be consulted before major foreign policy decisions were made. And a major one is the priorities he has set for himself, particularly Syria.” http://nyti.ms/12b8KF8

2014 WATCH – Former Rep. Dan Quayle won’t challenge Rep. Kyrsten Sinema in AZ-09 – Release out tomorrow, with Phoenix dateline: “Former Arizona Congressman Ben Quayle has joined Clark Hill PLC’s Phoenix and Washington DC offices, as a Senior Director in the firm’s Government and Public Affairs Group, Clark Hill Government and Public Affairs Practice Group Leader Charlie Spies [will announce]. … Quayle was a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, and Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property. … He was instrumental in passing patent reform during the last Congress. In addition, he focused on regulatory reform. … Quayle earned his B.A. from Duke University and his J.D. from Vanderbilt.”

2016 WATCH – “Progressives: Hillary Clinton must win us over,” by Emily Schultheis in San Jose, Calif.: “[A]t the largest annual gathering of progressives, many said they’re ready to get behind a Hillary 2016 bid — though she shouldn’t take them for granted. In more than two dozen interviews at the Netroots Nation conference, Democratic activists said they’re cautiously excited about the prospect of a Clinton candidacy and … the idea of the first female president … ‘This group … does not view this in the Camelot context of the Clintons,’ said Democracy for America Chairman Jim Dean. … As for other candidates, … [o]ne name that did come up was Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the star of past Netroots events … And Dean cited Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley as someone who’s been ‘very progressive’ on issues like gay rights, the death penalty and gun control.” http://politi.co/12b7cuO

ALUMNI NEWS – “Former San Gabriel Valley congressman David Dreier to be knighted,” by Steve Scauzillo of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune: “The tiny European country of San Marino is conferring on the dapper, erudite former congressman the grade of knight-commander by the Order of Saint Agatha, the patron saint of this land-locked republic on the Italian peninsula … Dreier, 60, was chosen in part because of his work on encouraging democracies around the world, [former aide Mark] Harmsen said. He once led the only U.S. delegation to the Republic of San Marino in 2004. … San Marino bills itself as the oldest republic on earth. The microstate, the smallest member of the Council of Europe, is about 24 square miles and has a population of 30,000. Dreier was elected to Congress at age 28 in 1980, riding the coattails of Ronald Reagan; he served until January 2013.” http://bit.ly/19sWr9q

TUESDAY’S SPECIAL IN MASS. – “Gomez hints at second race,” by Alex Isenstadt: “Massachusetts Republican Gabriel Gomez is the underdog in Tuesday's special election for a vacant Senate seat, but he's not giving up hope. Gomez said on ‘Fox News Sunday’ that he was confident he would defeat Democratic Rep. Ed Markey, even though polls show him trailing in the Democratic-friendly state significantly. … There's also the possibility Gomez could run againt in November 2014, when the seat John Kerry vacated will be up for a full term. Asked if he would run then if he fell short, Gomez said, ‘As a former general once said, “I shall return.”””

BEYOND THE BELTWAY – AP for Mon. papers -- “LA mayor exits after bumpy term, looking ahead,” by Political Writer Michael R. Blood in L.A.: “Antonio Villaraigosa [vee-yah-ry-GOH'-sah] makes his exit July 1 after a seesaw run that saw him celebrated as the city's first Hispanic mayor since 1872, praised for bulking up the police department and transit services, but often mocked, fairly or not, as a party boy … Now 60 and talking again about running for governor, the Democrat looks back and ponders how a former labor organizer ended up chopping thousands of government jobs to keep the books in balance, pushed municipal workers for the first time to pay toward their pensions and health care and clashed with the teachers union that once employed him. … The outgoing mayor … expects to hook up with a university or think tank and bank some money with paid speeches … He's single, his divorce was quietly settled after a messy split.” http://bit.ly/11GPkoC

THE JUICE --Chicago Tribune p. 1 refer, “THE MAYOR’S GOOD COP: “Michael Sacks floats between the private world of finance and the public world of City Hall, making him a perfect right-hand man for Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel has repeatedly turned to the private sector for solutions during his first two years in office, and Sacks, the head of hedge fund firm Grosvenor Capital Management, has played an important yet quiet role as a top adviser and leader of World Business Chicago, the city’s quasi-public economic development arm. But Sacks emerged in recent weeks as a top negotiator for Emanuel in the nagging dispute over the controversial privatization of Chicago parking meters and later as a top salesman promoting the mayor’s deal to aldermen and the public. Sacks, who often shuns the spotlight, agreed to a Tribune interview with Jeff Coen and John Chase about his role.” http://trib.in/12j7fR5

WEEKEND WEDDING – “Heather Higginbottom and Daniel Sepulveda” – N.Y. Times: “Heather Anne Higginbottom and Daniel Alejandro Sepulveda were married Saturday at the Newseum … Eric Wingerter, a friend of the couple and a Universal Life minister, officiated. The couple, both 40, work at the State Department … The bride advises the secretary of state on policy, personnel and management issues, and the groom is a deputy assistant secretary of state and the United States coordinator for communications and information policy. From October 2011 until last February, the bride, who is keeping her name, was the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget and the deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House. She graduated from the University of Rochester and received a master’s in public policy from George Washington. … The groom graduated from Emory and received a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas.” With photohttp://nyti.ms/11GV8i3

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